Work-feeding mechanism for crocheting or overedge sewing-machines



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WORK FEEDING MEGHANISM FOR CROGHETINGOR OVEREDGE SEWING I MAGHINES.. N0.-542,830. Patented July 16, 1895.

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J. M. MERROW.

WORK FEEDING MECHANISM FOR GROGHETING OR OVEREDGE' SEWING MACHINES.

Patented July 16, 1895.

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' J. M. MERROW. WORK FEEDING MEGHANISM FOR OBOOHETING OR OVEREDGE SEWING MACHINES. No. 542,830. Patented July 16, 1895.

NITED STATES- JOSEPI-I M..MERROW, OF MANSFIELD, CONNECTICUT.

WORK-FEEDING MECHANISM FORCROCHETING OR OVEREDGE SEWING-MACHINES.

SPEGIFIGATIOK forming part of Letters Patent No. 542,830, dated July 16, 1895. Application filed November 1, 1888. Renewed May 10. 1895. Serial No. 548,337. (No modeL) 1'0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. MERROW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Merrow, in the town of Mansfield, county of Tollaud, and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Crocheting or Overseaming Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to feeding mechanism and mechanism for controlling the same.

My object is to produce both plain and seallop crocheting upon one machine and to enable the operat-or to change the product of the -machine from one style of finish to the other While the machine is in operation; and this invention consists, principally, in means for bringing about such results. 7

In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side view of my improved machine, a portion of the casing above the bed having been removed to show the parts therein. Fig. 2 is a bottom View of the machine. Fig. 3 is a detached view of a portion of the machine in perspective, showing the relation of the needle, crochet-hook, and threads. Fig. 4 is a view of the cam and levers for reciprocating the crochethook bar. Fig. 5 is a detached view showing the crochet-hook bar and its guide or sleeve, the latter being in section. Fig. 6 is a view 1": the presser-foot detached. Fig. 7 is a view f the cam and lever which operate the feedbar. Fig. Sis a detached viewof the patterndisk, feed-bar, and levers. Fig. 9 is a view of a modification of the feeding mechanism. Fig. 10 is a detached view showing the pattern-gear, pattern-disks, and bolt for same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the illustrations.

A indicates the bed of the machine, which also forms the Work-plate and frame.

indicates the casing and also forms a support for a portion of themechanism above the bed.

0 indicates the main shaft; D, the pulley or hand wheel; E, the eccentric; F, the eccentric-strap or connecting-rod; G, the needlelever; H, the needle-bar; I, the pres'ser-foot bar; J, the crochet-hook bar; K, the crochethook-bar support, and L the hook-bar-support spindle.

M indicates the cam-cylinder, N the hookbar angle-lever, and O the hook-bar-support lever.

The pulley or wheel D is secured to the shaft 0, which latter is journaled at o in the frame of the machine, and is adapted to be rotated by any convenient power.

The cam-cylinder M is, in this instance, made integral with the eccentric E and is secured to the shaft 0.

The needle-bar H is operatively supported in the casing of the machine and is loosely connected by means of the pin it to the for- .ward end of the needle-lever G, which latter is pivoted to the rear portion of the casing B, and is provided with a stud or projection g, which passes through the upper end of the eccentric-rod F, the lower end of said eccentric-rod embracing the eccentric E.

The hook-bar-support spindle L is secured to the casing of the machine, its upper end passing through the projection 17 and its lower end through the ear or projection I). Said spindle L passes through the vertical portion of the hook-bar support K, which latter is adapted to be reciprocated vertically upon said spindle and also to be partially rotated. The coiled-wire spring 10 and also the loose collar 76* and the clamp-collar k surround the vertical portion of the guide or hook bar support K, and interposed bet-ween the two collars k and k is the enlarged central portion of the needle-lever G.

The horizontal portion of the hook-bar support K is provided with a projection or stud lo, which passes through the slotted end 0 of the lever O, which latter is pivoted to the adjustable block 0', secured to the frame of the machine. The opposite end of the pivoted lever O is provided with a stud or cam-pin 0 projecting into the groove m upon the periphery of the cam-cylinder M.

The crochet-hook bar J passes through the horizontal portion of its support K, and the rear end of said hook-bar has formed upon it or is provided with a slotted head j,-one end of which passes through its guide it, which is secured to the hook-bar support K.

The crochet-hook j, attached to the forward end of the crochet-hook bar J, much resembles a knitting-machine latched needle, and is in general the same in action.

The side or face of the cam-cylinder M contains an irregular cam-groove m, into which extends the cam-pin n, which latter is secured to the lower end of the angle-lever The angle-lever N is pivoted to the frame of the machine upon a stud n, and secured to its upper end is a pin n extending through the slotted head j of the crochet-hook bar J.

The presser-foot '2; is attached to the lower end of the presser-foot spindle I, and is held down upon the fabric by means of a spring in a manner common in sewing-machines.

\Vith the exception of feeding mechanism the above is a general description of a crocheting or overseaming machine, which forms the subject of my application for Letters Patent filed January 18, 1886, Serial No. 188,912, to which reference may be had for a more com plete description.

The operation of the mechanism above described is in general as follows: The needle h is reciprocated vertically by means of the needle-bar H, the needle-lever G, the eccentric-rod F, and eccentric E as the latter is rotated. Vhile the needle h is reciprocated the erochet-hook-bar support K is reciprocated vertically through its loose connection with the needle-lever G by means of the collars k and 7; at its upper end, and at the same time said hook-bar and crochet-hook are reciprocated longitudinally by means of the irregular cam-groove in upon the face of the cam M through the cam-pin n and angle-lever N, and said crochet-hook and its bar are also swung back and forth laterally by means of the irregular groove m upon the periphery of the cam-cylinder M acting upon the cam-pin 0 thus reciprocating either end of the lever O and carrying with it the crocl'iet-hook'bar support.

The vertical needle carries its thread through the fabric, near the edge thereof, and the crochet-hook forms a chain of loops at the edge of the fabric by carrying loops of said thread from both above and below and around the edge of the fabric and drawing loops of said thread through similar loops previously formed. hen a supplemental thread is employed it also is intcrlooped with the main thread to form a chain upon the edge of the fabric by the action of the crochet hook and needle.

Any convenientknown feeding mechanism may be employed to feed the fabric along at suitable times; but I have herein shown a new and improved feeding mechanism, the principles of which are applicable also to other machines of this class, but herein are shown and will be described as adapted to this particular machine.

The feed-dog P is secured to and carried by the feed-bar Q, which latter is pivoted at one end to the upper end of the swinging lever R upon the stud r. The opposite end of the feed-bar Q passes .through the channel a, in the block a, formed on the lower side of the forward end on the bed of the machine, and

the spring a presses the shoe a? down upon the forward end of said feed-bar Q. Located in the same channel a and pivoted upon the pin a is the swinging lever S, provided with a depending projection s at its swinging end. The swinging lever B is pivoted, with the angle-lever N, above mentioned, upon the stud n, and the cam-pin 7" projects into the irregular groove t on the face or side of the cam T, which latter is secured to the main shaft 0, so that when the latter is rotated the cam 'groove 25 will reciprocate or swing backward and forward the lever R, carrying with it the feed-bar Q and the feed-dog P, which latter, in its normal position, is held with its teeth below and clear of the fabric by means of a coiled spring a which at all times exerts its force in the direction to carry the forward end of the feed-bar Q down upon the swing ing lever S, the vertical motions of said feed bar at the proper times being effected by means of pattern-cams and other mechanism about to be explained.

A small spur-gear G is formed upon the main shaft 0 and meshes into the pattern-gear U, on the face and hub of which are secured the pattern-plates it and u, both of which pattern-plates are provided with projections adapted to engage and raise the swinging end 3 of the lever S, which carries with it the swinging end of the feed-bar Q, also carrying the feed-dog P upward into contact with the fabric at the time or immediately before the said feed-bar is carried forward by means of the cam-groove If. The project ions of the pattern-plates u and to are carried past the projection s of the swinging lever S by or before the time the feed-dog has reached the extent of its forward movements, thus allowing the said feed-dog, together with the feedbar Q and the swinging lever S, to be carried down by the action of the spring a in case they should not fall by theirown gravity. The pattern-plates u to, through which pass the screws u which secure said plates to the face of the pattern gear-wheel U, are slotted, so that the said pattern-plates may be adjusted concentrically with the patterirgeanin order that the outer end of the pattern projections may, by their combined action, hold the swinging lever S upward for a greater or less length of time, according to the adjustment of said pattern-plates, as shown in Fig. 8, wherein onlyone pair of pattern projections are shown upon the pattern-plates secured to the gear eighttimes thesizeofitsdriving-pinion. Consequently said pattern-plate projections will be carried into contact with the swinging lever S but once for eight reciprocations forward and backward of the feed-dog P and eight operations of the looping mechanism. Thus several sets of loops will be formed at one point at the edge of the fabric between the forward movements of the material. The pattern-plates v c, which are secured to the hub of the same gear U, are provided each with eight pattern projections instead of one,

so as to operate (as will be more fully ex plained) to carry the feed-dog into contact with the fabric and feed the latter forward once for each operation of the looping mechanism.

The swinging lever S may be dispensed with and the pattern projections be arranged to act directly upon the feed-bar, which latter may be provided with a projection q, when desirable, as shown in Fig. 9.

The pattern gear-wheel U is adapted to be rotated and also to be carried bodily upon the stud a secured to the frame of the machine below the work-plate, and the hub of said pattern-gear is provided with a groove u into which passes the pin to of the lever W, which latter is pivoted tothe bed of the machine upon the stud'a. in such a manner that when the lever W is tilted or swung upon its pivot the pattern-gear U, together with the mechanism secured thereon,will be carried bodily upon the stud a The longer arm of lever W extends laterally across the front end ofthe machine under the bed toward the righthand side (see Fig. 3)'of the machine, and secured to its outer end is a stud extending upward through a slot 0. in the bed and terminating in a knob to of convenient form'to be manipulated by hand to swing the lever W in a manner which will be explained. The fiat spring X, attached to the under side of the bed, is formed into a catch to hold the lever W in position when engaged by said spring-catch X, and the button :1: is formed on the upper end of apin extending through the bed of the machine into the said springcatch X. The coiled-wire springw' is secured at one of its ends to the bed of the machine and at the other end to the longer arm of the lever'W, and exerts its force to draw said lever'in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. Pressure downward upon the button a; releases the hold of the spring-catch X upon the end of the l'everW andpermits the spring to to swing said lever Wwhen the latter is not held, as will be more fully explained. A sliding bolt Y is loosely secured to the frame of the machine directly above the stud a and extends upward into a recess into which it is held by a suitable cap a, a screwy acting as a stop to limit the downward movement of said bolt, so that at all times its lower end will be somewhat above the stud a while a coiled-wire compression-spring y acts in'a direction to carry said bolt down against the stop y.

A recess a is made into the end of the hub of the gear'wheel U, for a purpose which will be explained hereinafter.

When finishing the'edges of knit goods it has been common-to introduce a tape or ribbon during the operation, and in order to conveniently guide the same the tape-guide Z is secured to the presser-foot, as shown in Fig. 3.

As'shown in Figs. 2 and 3, thefeeding mechanism is adj usted to feed the fabric along one step each time the needle is carried above the fabric, the crochet-hook forming a chain of regular loops along the edge of the fabric, as shown in Fig. 3. This result is accomplished by means of the pattern-plates o and c, which are located directly under the feed-bar Q, and thus operate to carry the feed-dog upward into contact with the fabric once for every time the needle penetrates the fabric at a time when the said needle is raised out of said fabric. The pattern-plates v and 1), together with the gear U, are held in this position by means of the lever W, which in turn is held by the spring-catch X. If, now, the gear U, together with the pattern-plates o and 'u'and the pattern-plates u and u, are carried bodily upon the stud a toward the support forsaid stud and to a suitable distance, the patternplates 10 and u will then be carried into the present position of the pattern-plates o and 'v and act to carry the feed-dog upward only once for eight times that the needle is carried above the fabric, and thus a series of loops will be formed at one point near the edge'of the material.

The pattern-plates are so constructed and adjusted that when the fabric is fed along only once in eight operations of the looping mechanism said fabric will be carried to a much greater distance than when it is fed at each operation of the looping mechanism.

' The thread is liable to be broken it' the operation of the machine is suddenly changed from short regular feeding, as shown on Fig. 3,,to a feed of several times the length: but if such change is made afterseveral sets of loops have been formed at one place upon the fabric the liability of breaking the thread is much lessened or entirely removed.

The product of the machine, when the material is fed once for every time the needle is carried above the fabric,I designate aspla'in crocheting, and when the feed is delayed, so

that the fabric is fed along but once for several times that the needle is carried throughthe fabric, the product I then designate as scallop crocheting.

As has been explained, in order to change from one style of finish to the other-in other Words, to change from plain crocheting to seallop crochetingthe longer arm of the lever W is carried in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, and as a result the gear-wheel U is carried bodily with its attachments upon the stud a in the direction of the support for said stud. In order that this change may occur at the proper timethat is, at a time when the result will be to form scallops immediately after one step of the regular crocheting has been finished instead of first causing the fabric to be carried forward a long step before commencing to form the scallopsome. means are desirable for indicating and controlling the time of such change. When the gear-wheelU and its hub are in the position ICO shown in Fig. 2, thebolt Y nearly or quite,

hub is recessed, and said recess a is located upon the hub of the gear U at such a point that the said geaewheel and its attachments can be moved upon its stud in the direction of the support of said stud only at the time just after the projections upon the patternplates u and u have been carried by rotation beyond the point where they can come in contact with the swinging lever S, and consequently will not operate upon said lever to cause the fabric to be carried along until after several operations of the looping mechanism have been performed.

While the machine is operated to produce plain crocheting the lever W is held in the position shown in Fig. 3 by means of the springeatcn X, and when it is desirable to change from plain to scallop work the button a: is pressed downward, and the spring to is then permitted to draw the longer end of the lever W to adistance sufficient to prevent the springcatch X from re-engaging the lever W to retain it, and when the recess u has been carried by the rotation of the gearU to a point adjacent to the lower end of the bolt Y the spring to then acts to carry the longer arm of the lever W in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, thereby carrying the gear U and the pattermdisks along on the stud a to such a distance that the pattern-plates u and u will occupy the same positions in relation to the swinging lever S as was before occupied by the pattern-disks o and o, thus causing the scallop-crocheting as hereinbefore explained.

When operating upon tubular work, the edge of the fabric is first finished with plain crocheting, and when the point of com mencement is reached the button w is pressed downward and the scallop crocheting is then commenced and continues around the edge of the garment to the starting point.

The change back from scallop to plain crocheting is usually made while the machine is idle and is accomplished by carrying the long end of the lever W to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 3, by means of the knob 10 It is obvious that the relative sizes of the gear-wheel Uand its pinion C may be varied, and also the number or sizes of the projections upon the pattern-plates may be varied as well as adjusted to modify the appearance of the finish without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, I new claim-- 1. In a machine, such as described, thecombination with a stitch forming mechanism and afeed dog,of differential feed-controlling mechanisms arranged for dissimultaneous application to the feed dog, one of said feed mechanisms being arranged to effect a feed ing movement of the feed dog once for several complete actions of the stitch forming devices while the other is arranged to effect a greater number of feeding movements during the formation of an equal number of stitches, whereby the number of intermitting movements of the fabric occurring during the formation of a given number of stitches may be changed from a higher to a lower number or vice versa; substantially as described.

2. In a machine, such as described, the combination with a stitch forming mechanism and a reciprocating feed dog, two dissimilar pattern cams for elevating the feed-dog into operative position, each of said pattern cams being arranged to elevate the feed dog one or more times during the formation of a series of stitches, and translating devices for alternately shifting said cams into operative relation with the feed dog, to change the feed motion from one alternating in its action with the stitch forming devices, to one whose action is suspended during two or more stitch forming operations, substantially as described.

3. In a machine,such as described, the combination with a feed-dog and devices operating thereon to reciprocate it, of a plurality of elevating cams, each provided with a different number of elevating points for engaging the feed-dog carrier to effect one or more feed op erations at each rotation of the cam, and devices for shifting said cams to bring either into operative position with relation to the feed dog, substantially as described.

4. In a machine, such as described, provided with a thread carrier and looper cooperating to form stitches around the edge of a fabric, the combination therewith of a feed-mechanism provided with differentialfeed controlling mechanism adapted for dissimultaneous ap' plication, substantially as described, whereby the number of feeding actions can be changed from one for each stitch to one for a series of stitches as explained.

5. In amachine, such as described, the combination with the looper and a thread carrier, and a feeding mechanism for advancing the fabric intermittingly in one direction only, of r [O a differential feed controlling mechanism, one section or member of said feed controlling mechanism being constructed to actuate the feed once during the formation of a stitch, and the other at intervals occurring after the formation of several stitches; substantially as described.

6. In a machine, such as described, the combination with the feeding mechanism provided with laterally movable pattern-cams for controlling the feed movements, of a locking device engaging and restraining the lateral movements of the cam shifting devices during a partial rotation of the cams and releasing them at predetermined points only, whereby the shifting of the cams, to change the feed is limited to occur only at predetermined times, substantially as described.

7. In a machine,such as described, the combination with the laterally movable patterncams controlling the feed mechanism, of a spring actuated shipper engaging the cams to move them laterally, and a detent cooperating with a notched collar on the cams, substantially as described.

8. In a machine, such as described, and in combination with the feeding mechanism provided with duplex pattern-cams controlling cams, movable laterally to bring either into cooperative relation with the feed mechanism, a movable detent engaging the cams to resist movement in one direction only, and a shifting lever for the cams; substantially as described.

10. In a duplex feed-controlling mechanism, such as described, and in combination with the lateral movable pattern cams thereof, a

shifting lever for the cams, a spring operating on said lever to press it in one direction, and a lock operating to hold'the lever against the pressure of the spring; substantially as described.

11. In a crochet machine, such as described, and in combinationlwith the stitch forming mechanism thereof and its work plate, a differential feed mechanism provided with two independent and difierently timed actuating devices controlling the movements of the feed dog toward and from the work plate, and a shifter engaging said actuating devices to throw them into operation alternately whereby the number of feed movements per stitch may be changed as and for the purpose described! JOSEPH M. MERROIV.

Witnesses:

FRANK H. ALLEN, WILLIAM H. STEDMAN. 

